Yup, it’s true: Ellen DeGeneres will be replacing Paula Abdul on the new season of American Idol.
Really!
My first reaction is … what??? Are the producers trying to offset the influx of Christian contestants with a gay judge? (Haha, that’s a joke, friends. Because I know some of you are already thinking that, so I said it out loud before you could. And I’ll add, “Puh-leeeze.”)
My second reaction is … perfect!!

Think about it: Ellen is kind, funny, encouraging and warm to the guests on her show. She loves music and discovering new talent, and then showcasing it on her show.
And best of all, there won’t be any annoying flirting and hanky panky under the table between her and Simon!
What could be better?
Sure, Idol won’t be the same without Paula. But the producers kind of did away with Idol as we know it when they added Kara DioGuardi last season. I guess if they’re going to do a makeover, adding Ellen was the perfect way to do it.
I’m a big fan of Ellen. She cracks me up. I think she’ll continue the encouraging presence of Paula, add some much needed humor, and inject some new life into the show.
During the audition phase, the show replaced Paula with a series of special guest fill-ins including Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Shania Twain.
So we have something fun to look forward to in the audition phase, and something even more fun when the actual show starts.
So what do you think? Is Ellen a good replacement for Paula?
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